Simply among California’s most compelling wineries; never simple, rarely crowd pleasing, instead consider thought-provoking and memorable as places where you land after uncorking one of these bottles. Varieties popular and obscure, winemaking that is at once experimental and evocative of history. Are there misses, yes there are but the hits are often in-the-gap triples with dramatic plays at third rather than long deep HR’s one might associate with triple-digit Napa cult wines. Probably not your thing if you’re a «I drink only __________(insert varietal wine here)» kind of person but if you seek thrilling and real craft you may have found a home.
Gregg B.
Place rating: 5 Waldwick, NJ
Scholium Project is the reason I love being in the wine business. Abe’s wines are always challenging and interesting. They are never just simple, they let you know you are drinking something special. Seek them out they are worth the trouble.
Kenneth R.
Place rating: 4 Berkeley, CA
The rap on these wines is that they vary from abysmally bad to spectacularly good, while remaining consistently interesting. Here is some background reading: Wall Street Journal magazine – . NY Times – SF Chronicle – and maybe also . Notice that these articles are all a few years old — did the Scholium press agent go missing in 2008? I’ve had Scholium wines in a number of situations: at the winery, at a winemaker’s dinner, at Blue Hill in Manhattan. I agree that some of them are a bit infuriating, but they’re all conversation pieces and the best of them are gems. If you have the chance to sample one of these wines and/or meet the winemaker, don’t pass up the opportunity!
Amanda G.
Place rating: 5 Menlo Park, CA
I was fortunate enough to be invited by a friend to an extensive tasting of their wines. I’m not a wine connoisseur by any means. As I have often said, «for some people wine is a beverage, for others, it’s hobby.» It’s a beverage for me, but I still found the winemakers interesting, and their passion for what they do refreshing. That being said, WOW!!! I tasted some of the best wines EVER! They aren’t cheap, and I tend to be when it comes to wine, but they are amazing. The difference between the vintages of the same wines were incredible. I knew there were differences in vintages, but I had never so clearly tasted them. This is a smaller operation, but an impressive one. I highly recommend them!
Kim N.
Place rating: 5 South Bay, CA
I ran across this wine at Manresa restaurant a while back. Recently I ran into it again at Momofuku Ko in NYC. The Prince In His Caves white is so unique I have no reference to compare it to. Abe Schoener is a winemaker/mad scientist after my own heart. He doesn’t seem to mind making mistakes knowing that somewhere, something beautiful is going to surface. I’d recently went to a tasting of their wines where I tried almost a dozen different versions of their wines. Sometimes the different vintages of certain wine were so different year to year it was sort of mind blowing. I happen to enjoy the fact that they’re so out there and so very intriguing. The only way to know is to give the wine a try, I can only do so much in words.
